Devout with Doubts

27/06/2022

Hey family!

Check out episode 5 of Devout with Doubts! My sis, Rosalyn E. N. Downing, and I GO IN about the importance of mental healthcare in the Church. We also discuss our takes on the Uvalde shooting and the need for comprehensive actions.

Listen to the podcast here: https://anchor.fm/devoutwithdoubts/episodes/God--Guns--and-Mental-Health-with-Rosalyn-Downing-e1k4pb0

Watch the video here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TUw0-cLA7FM

25/06/2022

18/06/2022

Episode 5 is finally done (with my littles’ “cooperation”…lol).

Rosalyn E. N. Downing, a teacher and former mental health professional, shares her take on the Uvalde, TX school shooting. She and Krista discuss how Christians typically respond to these situations and how Christians can respond more effectively. They also discuss the importance of the Church prioritizing mental health.

Watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUw0-cLA7FM

Listen to the podcast: https://anchor.fm/devoutwithdoubts/episodes/God--Guns--and-Mental-Health-with-Rosalyn-Downing-e1k4pb0

Rosalyn, a teacher and former mental health professional, shares her take on the Uvalde, TX school shooting. She and Krista discuss how Christians typically ...

11/05/2022

29/04/2022

In the “olden days,” when people made tough decisions, they would consult with their community leaders, doctors, educators, or even their spiritual leaders. A few years ago, people would consult with Google. But in 2022, in such a politicized and fragmented world and capitalistic society, our trust in authorities, leaders, and institutions fades, which leads to apathy, despair, hopelessness, and the disintegration of society.

Do our politicians, medical professionals, universities, spiritual leaders, governing authorities, and regulating organizations care about us, or are they in it for the money and power?

Some of the above look out for the best interest of the people, but we struggle to discern the advice of genuine servant leaders from those with self-serving ulterior motives.

However, if God exists and fulfills the promises in the Bible, then we have one “Wonderful Counselor” who not only cares about humanity and creation but—unlike the contradicting voices—leads us to make the best decisions for our lives, families, communities, and world. I strive to listen and follow the still, small voice in a cacophonous world.

14/04/2022

Y’ALL!!! Our facial expressions say it all! Truth 💣’s galore on Episode 3 of Devout with Doubts!

Listen here 🎧: https://anchor.fm/devoutwithdoubts/episodes/E3-Detoxify-Christianity-e1h2ml2

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJzGVGFWtfI&lc=Ugy_iXliPuLfKn06y2V4AaABAg

For more info, check out the link in the bio.

12/04/2022

Episode 3 is LIVE on Anchor.fm, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and YouTube!

This episode will take you on an emotional rollercoaster—there are poignant moments, LOL moments, and an edifying conclusion.

Our special guests: Darryl Ford II and Emily Williquette

I hope it provokes and blesses your heart💖
https://anchor.fm/devoutwithdoubts/episodes/E3-Detoxify-Christianity-e1h2ml2

https://youtu.be/NJzGVGFWtfI

Emily, who recently renounced the Independent Fundamental Baptist Church and Christianity as an institution, shares her deconversion story. She and Pastor Da...

05/04/2022

EPISODE 3 COMING SOON!!!!

Y’all…this episode, though! It’s the reason Devout with Doubts exists.

Emily, who recently renounced the Independent Fundamental Baptist Church and Christianity as an institution, shares her deconversion story. She and Pastor Darryl Ford discuss abuse in the church, the effects of toxic Christianity, and how to detoxify it. He answers her questions with insight, empathy, and compassion.

Episode dropping this weekend (by God’s and my daughters’ grace…lol).

25/03/2022

The video version of Episode 2 is liiiiiive...in every way possible!

Yvette Broughton of EveOlution and Jennifer Botzet of Ikon Community Church break down patriarchal misinterpretations and misapplications of scripture to redeem and empower the female imagers of God!

Watch full video here: https://youtu.be/_byOy0X9GrM

17/03/2022

Episode 2 is now available!

Yvette Broughton of Eveolution and Jennifer Botzet break down patriarchal misinterpretations and misapplications of scripture to redeem and empower the female imagers of God! We went ALL THE WAY IN, y’all!!!

Tune in on Anchor.fm, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

https://anchor.fm/devoutwithdoubts/episodes/E2-The-Female-Image-of-God-e1frel9

07/03/2022

This weekend, we recorded our first interview and Episode 2 of Devout with Doubts!

Since it’s Women’s History Month, we discuss topics such as sexist interpretations of the Bible and the value of women in religion with a historically patriarchal culture.

We GO IN, yall! Stay tuned! Episode dropping soon!

27/02/2022

“War! Good God: What is it good for? Absolutely, nothing!”

13/02/2022

Hey family! Our first episode is now live on Anchor.fm, Spotify, and Apple Podcast!

Please share it with your friends and subscribe to be notified when we drop new episodes!

Welcome to a safe space for “Doubting Thomases,” those of us who choose to continue to live in faith despite legit doubts, questions, and skepticism. Krista Idowu speaks from the perspective of one with questions rather than one with all the answers. She and other “Questioners” will intervie...

12/02/2022

This Sunday, we’ll be launching our official podcast!

Check out this video for more info!

I’ll post the link on launch day!

For now, please like our page and follow us on Instagram 🙏🏽✨🙏🏽

10/02/2022

In the book, The Very Good Gospel, the author discusses how shame severs our connection with God, others, and even ourselves. She explains how it differs from embarrassment, humiliation, and guilt because we internalize shame as a “core identity” rather than just an emotion. Shame makes us feel intrinsically unworthy and unlovable.

According to the Hebrew Creation Story, humanity's first reaction to shame was when Adam and Eve hid from God after eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They also became aware of their nakedness and covered themselves with fig leaves.

Harper uses this story to explain how we respond to shame by withdrawing, disconnecting, lashing out, and trying to appease others. We do so in fear of the exposure of our perceived inherent unworthiness. These responses lead to a lack of vulnerability and intimacy with God (also with other people). The lack of intimacy with God creates a cycle of feeling distant and unloved by God, which leads to a lack of trust in God, which can lead to doubt.

If shame is the catalyst for your doubt, as it partially was/is for me, then ask our Creator to reveal the lies you believe about yourself and the truth of how God actually sees you🙏🏽.

Hint: Nothing can separate us from God’s love💖

09/02/2022

For me, it was “This ain’t it!”😂

There has to be something better than this. I hope the Kingdom of the Most High is real!

09/02/2022

In such dark times—a pandemic with no end in sight, a society that privileges one group of people while systemically oppressing others, a government that prioritizes profit over public health, and people who seek selfish gain while disregarding others’ lives—I hope and long for a brighter future reality.

This present reality cannot be all that exists. If so, life is futile. I refuse to believe that! If our finite minds can conceive the concept of goodness, goodness must be a divine possibility. I hope in the reality and validity of the Gospel, “the good news.” I hope that our Creator will keep His promise to restore all that He declared “good”: harmony between humanity and God, fellow humans, genders, and Creation in the Kingdom of God (the New Heaven and New Earth).

Ultimately, I CHOOSE to trust the Most High because I HOPE His promises are true. My “faith is the substance of things hoped for.”

07/08/2021

It's easy to say and believe this statement when you aren’t the one going through it. I used to (and sometimes still do) roll my eyes when I see posts like this. I would wonder, “how can something this awful have any purpose or meaning to it?”

But I recall stories of people from the past and present who had some of the most unfair, hopeless situations turn into glorious victories, not only for themselves but for generations after them. Those stories inspire me to maintain hope in the possibility that ultimate good can come out of the darkest things. A proverbial phoenix can rise from the ashes. Our Creator can use for good what our enemies mean for evil (read Bre’sheet/Genesis 37-50 for the story of Yosef).

There are moments in which I still question why a good and powerful Creator allows for bad things to happen, but other times I see where, despite our free will which leads to us making harmful choices, the Most High orchestrates beauty out of our chaotic mess of a fallen world.

Life is much richer, vibrant, and joyous when we fight to maintain hope that what we are going through at the present will have a purpose that reaches beyond us to play a role in the glorious future. We may still have questions and doubts, but we HOPE that it’s true.

P.S.: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for…” 😉 (Hebrews 11:1).